The core theme of all the stories in units 1 and 2 of the American Indian Myths and Legends book is creation: how the world and humanity as the Native Americans knew it at the time of these tales is explained to the extent of why skin complexions differ, why familiar animals came to be and why the world (or their corner of the world) looks the way it does geographically. An interesting tale that stood out for me was “The Origin of Curing Ceremonies” because it didn’t explain a people or a place but rather a tradition that came to be and the One Who Made The Earth is the one who bestowed the knowledge of curing/healing to the White Mountain Apache people.
For me this story was significantly more important because of its relevance. It could very well be a tradition that is bought out and utilized on occasion or for certain situations. It was one of the shorter stories but it mattered because it explained an area of their culture that is criticized. Modern medicine is upheld on a pedestal while traditional forms of medicine are looked down upon or considered less effective but modern medicine does not have a spiritual root to it. Modern medicine lacks a faith behind it and a mystical creation behind it. It’s cold, technical, scientific and not at all connecting to a belief in anything other than itself.
The other story that caught my eye was the “Well Baked Man” because it explained the different types of people who came to America that the Pueblo Indians encountered. It fascinated me that the story told of a creator who made different men in his clay oven and put them in different places across the water (oceans). I liked that explanation; it was inventive and creative to me.
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